The young Turkeys now advance rapidly in growth, and in the
month of August are able to secure themselves from unexpected attacks
of Wolves, Foxes, Lynxes, and even Cougars, by rising quickly from thé
ground, by the help of their powerful legs, and reaching with ease the
highest branches of the tallest trees. The young cocks shew the tuft on
the breast about this time, and begin to gobble and strut, while the
young hens pur and leap, in the manner which I have already described.
The old cocks have also assembled by this time, and it is probable
that all the Turkeys now leave the extreme north-western districts, to
remove to the Wabash, Illinois, Black River, and the neighbourhood of
Lake Erie.
Of the numerous enemies of the Wild Turkey, the most formidable, excepting
man, are the Lynx, the Snowy Owl, and the Virginian Owl. The
Lynx sucks their eggs, and is extremely expert at seizing both young
and old, which he effects in the following manner. When he has discovered
a flock of Turkeys, he follows them at a distance for some time,
until he ascertains the direction in which they are proceeding. He then
makes a rapid circidar movement, gets in advance of the flock, and lays
.himself down in ambush, until the birds come up, when he springs upon
one of them by a single bound, and secures it. While once sitting in
the woods, on the banks of the Wabash, I observed two large Turkeycocks
on a log, by the river, pluming and picking themselves. I watched
their movements for awhile, when of a sudden one of them flew across
the river, while I perceived the other struggling under the grasp of a
lynx. When attacked by the two large species of Owl above mentioned,
they often effect their escape in a way which is somewhat remarkable.
As Turkeys usually roost in flocks, on naked branches of trees,
they are easily discovered by their enemies, the owls, which, on silent
wing, approach and hover around them, for the purpose of reconnoitring.
.This, however, is rarely done without being discovered, and a single
.cluck from one of the Turkeys announces to the whole party the approach
of the murderer. They instantly start upon their legs, and watch the
motions of the Owl, which, selecting one as its victim, comes down upon
it like an arrow, and would inevitably secure the Turkey, did not the
latter at that moment lower its head, stoop, and spread its tail in an inverted
manner over its back, by which action the aggressor is met by a
smooth inclined plane, along which it glances without hurting the Turkey
; immediately after which the latter drops to the ground, and thus
escapes, merely with the loss of a few feathers.
The Wild Turkeys cannot be said to confine themselves to any particular
kind of food, although they seem to prefer the pecan-nut and winter
grape to any other, and, where these fruits abound, are found in the
greatest numbers. They eat grass and herbs of various kinds, corn,
berries, and fruit of all descriptions. I have even found beetles, tadpoles,
and small lizards in their crops.
Turkeys are now generally extremely shy, and the moment they observe
a man, whether of the red or white race, instinctively move from
him. Their usual mode of progression is what is termed walking, during
which they frequently open each wing partially and successively, replacing
them again by folding them over each other, as if their weight
were too great. Then, as if to amuse themselves, they will run a few
steps, open both wings and fan their sides, in the manner of the common
fowl, and often take two or three leaps in the air and shake themselves.
Whilst searching for food among the leaves or loose soil, they keep their
head up, and are unremittingly on the lookout; but as the legs and feet
finish the operation, they are immediately seen to pick up the food, the
presence of which, I suspect, is frequently indicated to them through the
sense of touch in their feet, during the act of scratching. This habit of
scratching and removing the dried leaves in the woods, is pernicious to
their safety, as the spots which they thus clear, being about two feet in
diameter, are seen at a distance, and, if fresh, shew that the birds are in
the vicinity. During the summer months they resort to the paths or
roads, as well as the ploughed fields, for the purpose of rolling themselves
in the dust, by which means they clear their bodies of the ticks
which at that season infest them, as well as free themselves of the moschettoes,
which greatly annoy them, by biting their heads. .
When, after a heavy fall of snow, the weather becomes frosty, so as to
form a hard crust on the surface, the Turkeys remain on their roosts for
three or four days, sometimes much longer, which proves their capability
of continued abstinence. When near farms, however, they leave the
roosts, and go into the very stables and about the stacks of corn, to procure
food. During melting snow-falls, they will travel to an extraordinary
distance, and are then followed in vain, it being impossible for
hunters of any description to keep up with them. They have then a
dangling and straggling way of running, which, awkward as it may seem.